ABOUT THIS COLLECTION

The UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Symposium (formerly Research Retreat) highlights the ongoing work across the five University of Massachusetts campuses, UMass Memorial Health Care, Baystate Health and a broad range of collaborators to fulfill the mission of the UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science (UMCCTS). This website features a collection of selected recordings, posters, presentations, and abstracts contributed by presenters at the research retreat. The UMCCTS is part of the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (Grant # UL1-TR001453) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Recently Published

  • Agenda: UMCCTS Research Symposium 2022

    UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science (2022-06-10)
    Agenda for the UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Symposium held virtually on Friday, June 10, 2022.
  • Videorecording: UMCCTS Research Symposium 2022

    UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science (2022-06-10)
    Click on the "Link to Full Text" button to view a video recording of the UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Symposium held virtually on Friday, June 10, 2022. This recording is restricted to current UMass Chan Medical School users only.
  • Pulse Oximetry

    Mendelson, Yitzhak (2017-05-16)
    As part of the mini-symposium entitled "Bench to Bedside: Engineering Technology Translation," Dr. Mendelson describes pulse oximetry technology and how that technology idea successfully developed into a real world medical product.
  • Poster Session Program: 2017 UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

    UMCCTS Research Retreat (2017-05-16)
    Poster Session Program for the 7th annual UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat, held Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. View poster abstracts
  • Agenda: 2017 UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat

    UMCCTS Research Retreat (2017-05-16)
    Agenda for the 7th annual UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science Research Retreat, held Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA.
  • Analytical Testing for Marijuana

    Babu, Kavita (2017-05-16)
    As part of the mini-symposium entitled "The Problems with Marijuana and Driving: Medical, Legal, and Public Health Perspectives," Dr. Babu describes the state of the science on measurement of marijuana in the context of driving impairment.
  • Exploring the Contributions of Local Health Departments in Land Use and Transportation Policy: Implications for Cross-sector Collaboration

    Sreedhara, Meera; Goins, Karin V.; Aytur, Semra; Heinrich, Katie; Maddock, Jay; Lemon, Stephenie C. (2017-05-16)
    Introduction: Transportation and land use policies can impact physical activity. Local health departments (LHDs) are encouraged to participate in land use and transportation policy processes, which are outside their traditional expertise. Cross-sector collaborations are needed, yet stakeholders’ perceptions of LHD involvement are not well-understood. This paper explores (1) the perceived value of LHD participation in transportation and land use decision-making and (2) potential contributions of LHDs to these processes among relevant stakeholders. Methods: Qualitative data were analysed from 49 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2015 and 2016. Participants were professionals representing land use planning (n=13), transportation/public works (n=11), public health (n=19), bike and pedestrian advocacy (n=4), and municipal administration (n=2). Two analysts conducted thematic analysis. Results: All respondents reported that LHDs offer valuable contributions to transportation and land use policy processes. Seven specific contributions were identified (inter-rater agreement 91%). Participants described LHD knowledge of the built environment impact on health (n=44); ability to incorporate the public health evidence-base and best practices into built environment processes (n=23); and ability to articulate the impact of land use and transportation decisions on vulnerable populations (n=8). Other potential contributions included increasing public support through public education (n=27) and convening partnerships within the community and across municipal departments (n=35) to advance policy buy-in and enactment. Ability to analyse a range of data that could inform policy (n=41) and providing resource support (e.g., grant writing, offering technical assistance (n=20)) were also described. Conclusions: LHDs can leverage their strengths to foster cross-sector collaborations that promote community physical activity opportunities. The results of these interviews are being used to inform the development of sustainable capacity building models for LHD involvement in built environment decision-making.
  • Patient-Perceived Breakdowns in Care: Informing Clinician Responses

    Fisher, Kimberly A. (2017-05-16)
    The presentation will introduce the audience to the topic of patient-perceived breakdowns in care, with a focus on breakdowns in the critical care setting. It will highlight how patient-perceived breakdowns in care can impede the delivery of patient-centered care, including shared decision-making. It will conclude by exploring the central role of frontline clinicians in responding to patient reports of breakdowns in care, including potential facilitators and barriers to addressing patient concerns about breakdowns in care. This presentation is part of the mini-symposium entitled "Building Bridges to "Cross the Quality Chasm": The Challenges of Engaging Clinicians in Patient-Centered Care."
  • Shared Decision Making in Neurocritical Care: Barriers and Facilitators

    Muehlschlegel, Susanne (2017-05-16)
    The presentation will introduce the audience to shared decision-making in general, as well as specifically in critical care, including the barriers and facilitators of shared-decision making in stakeholders. The presentation will also highlight the ongoing research activities at UMMS to develop and implement the first neuro-critical care based decision support tool for surrogate decision makers. This presentation is part of the mini-symposium entitled "Building Bridges to "Cross the Quality Chasm": The Challenges of Engaging Clinicians in Patient-Centered Care."
  • Substance Use Disorder in Pregnancy: Improving Care and Reducing Risk in Franklin County with EMPOWER

    Jablonski, Linda (2017-05-16)
    As part of the mini-symposium entitled "Pregnant and Parenting Mothers with History of Opiate Addiction," this presentation describes Project EMPOWER, an innovative hospital-based intervention to improve management of neonatal abstinence syndrome through the use of rooming-in and access to a designated psychotherapist.
  • Caring for Substance Exposed Newborns

    Singh, Rachana (2017-05-16)
    As part of the mini-symposium entitled "Pregnant and Parenting Mothers with History of Opiate Addiction," this presentation describes innovations in care for substance exposed newborns while highlighting the gaps in services antepartum and post hospital discharge.
  • UMass & The Life Sciences: A Collaborative Gene Fully Expressed

    Collins, Michael F. (2017-05-16)
    Michael F. Collins, MD, is Senior Vice President for the Health Sciences for the University of Massachusetts and Chancellor, UMass Medical School. In his presentation he describes UMass’s system-wide strategic planning, coordination, and collaboration to position the UMass System for sustained and impactful external engagement in the life sciences.
  • Association between Psychosocial Factors, Quality of Life and Atrial Fibrillation

    Aldrugh, Summer; Sardana, Mayank; Lessard, Darleen M.; Saczynski, Jane S.; McManus, David D. (2017-05-16)
    Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with cognitive and psychosocial comorbidities, and poorer quality of life (QOL). In this study, we aimed to study the association between cognition, psychosocial status and QOL at baseline and AF recurrence. Methods: We enrolled 222 symptomatic AF patients (64±10.0 years, 36% women) treated with a rhythm-control strategy. We performed cognitive, psychosocial, and QOL assessments using Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA, cognitive impairment Results: A total of 123 (55%) participants experienced an AF recurrence over the 6-month follow-up period. Participants with an AF recurrence had higher rates of depression (31% vs.14%, p=0.022) and lower QOL (62±24 vs. 72±21, p=0.003) at baseline than did participants free from recurrence. In multivariable logistic regression models, lower baseline QOL, but not depression, anxiety, or cognition, was associated with a significantly higher odds of AF recurrence event (Odds Ratio: 0.98, CI 0.97-0.99). Conclusion: Lower AF-related QOL is associated with higher odds of AF recurrence over 6 months among symptomatic AF patients treated with rhythm control. Patient-reported variables have not previously been considered as risk factors for disease progression or prognosis. Our data suggests QOL may serve as a useful tool to aid clinicians in the management of AF patients.
  • Companion Diagnostics for Breast Cancer Chemotherapeutics

    Tawadros, Monica; Morin, Michael; Gaines, Peter; Dewilde, Abiche H. (2017-05-16)
    Chemotherapy plays a major role in breast cancer treatment. However, not every chemotherapeutics is appropriate for each cancer due to the person’s individual cancer characteristics and whether the patient has developed chemoresistance to a particular drug. In this research, the InVitro-Q is used to detect subtle differences in tumor cell proliferation post-treatment with four-breast cancer chemotherapeutics used: paclitaxel, docetaxel, nocodazole, and cytochalasin B. Our multi-well cell-based sensor that can monitor real-time biological changes in living cells, such as mass redistribution, and viscoelasticity. This system provides unique kinetic information regarding the phenotypic change in the cells post treatment. Each drug induces apoptosis by targeting a different mechanism of action. Each drug was assayed for 48h with MCF-7 or SK-Br-3 breast cancer cells, and data collected. Post analysis we created quantitative projection regarding the efficacy of each drug on the specific cancer type.
  • Improving Tuberculosis Diagnostics using Deep Learning and Mobile Health Technologies among Resource-poor Communities in Peru

    Alcantara, Marlon F. (2017-05-16)
    As part of the mini-symposium entitled “Research on Digital Health for Designing Scalable Pervasive Healthcare Monitoring, Rehabilitation, and Home-based Healthcare Systems,” Dr. Alcantara discusses a project to improve the tuberculosis diagnosis in resource poor communities in Peru.
  • Deep Learning and Digital Health

    Cao, Yu (2017-05-16)
    As part of the mini-symposium entitled “Research on Digital Health for Designing Scalable Pervasive Healthcare Monitoring, Rehabilitation, and Home-based Healthcare Systems,” Dr. Cao discusses his research projects focusing on digital health.
  • UMMS Biomedical Data Assets & D3Health

    Mathew, Jomol (2017-05-16)
    As part of the mini-symposium entitled “Research on Digital Health for Designing Scalable Pervasive Healthcare Monitoring, Rehabilitation, and Home-based Healthcare Systems,” Dr. Mathew discusses the research and clinical data ecosystem at UMass Medical School and the D3Health system integrating biomedical big data, analytics, and decision support.
  • Do We Want to Know about patients’ perceptions of care? Insights from implementation science

    Mazor, Kathleen (2017-05-16)
    The presentation will introduce the “We Want to Know” program, the goal of which is to make it easy for patients and family members who have concerns about care to express their concern and get a response. It will also describe how the program is being adopted and implemented across 10 hospitals in the Washington DC/Baltimore area, and will draw on key implementation science concepts to highlight the challenges in translating the program into practice. This presentation is part of the mini-symposium entitled "Building Bridges to "Cross the Quality Chasm": The Challenges of Engaging Clinicians in Patient-Centered Care."
  • Shared Decision-Making in the Emergency Department: Patient and Physician Perspectives

    Schoenfeld, Elizabeth (2017-05-16)
    This presentation will explore the perspectives of both ED physicians and ED patients regarding barriers to shared decision-making in the setting of emergency care. It will describe challenges, highlight modifiable barriers, and introduce ongoing research at UMMS Baystate. This presentation is part of the mini-symposium entitled "Building Bridges to "Cross the Quality Chasm": The Challenges of Engaging Clinicians in Patient-Centered Care."
  • SPRC: The Community Partner’s Experience

    Pierre-Louis, Isabelle (2017-05-16)
    The Science Participation Research Center (SPRC) has the overarching goal to increase the participation of under-represented communities (LGBT, ethnic/racial minorities, elderly, youth) in clinical research. A pivotal component of the Center has been partnering with a network of local community organizations in Worcester. This presentation describes the rationale, background, community engagement, and cultural competency training activities of the SPRC.

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